Jamie Morgan shook his head in disbelief when he realized his name would go down alongside the likes of Island athletic greats such as Ironman Hawaii world champions Peter Reid and Lori Bowden, Olympic double-medallist Simon Whitfield and Olympic runners Jon Brown, Bruce Deacon, Diane Cummins and Zach Whitmarsh.
An annual tradition of the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon, the 37th edition of which runs Sunday, is the enshrinement into the Walk of Fame outside the Frontrunners store at Vancouver and View streets.
鈥淚s that me beside all those names?鈥� said Morgan, incredulously.
A non-runner seven years ago, Morgan saw an advert for a running clinic. He was a bundle of energy with no outlet, so he thought he would give it a try. He went from participant to coach, instructor and mentor to hundreds of runners who will take part in Sunday鈥檚 races.
A total of 1,350 are registered for the marathon, 3,300 for the half-marathon, 2,441 for the 8K, 854 for the children鈥檚 run and 125 for the relay. Registration is open until 6 p.m. today at the Race Expo taking place at the Victoria Conference Centre.
Hundreds of those runners will be from the First Steps, Next Steps clinics conducted by Morgan, 50, who, in his other life, does design work for the family company, Morgan鈥檚 Fabrics and Interiors of Oak Bay. 鈥淲e do beginners to Boston,鈥� Morgan said of his running clinics. The Victoria Marathon is an official qualifier for the Boston Marathon in April.
A polished granite slab bearing Morgan鈥檚 name will be laid alongside those for others already inducted into the Walk of Fame. 鈥淚鈥檓 blown away by this honour,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 do it for the recognition. I do it because of who I am. I have a lot of energy to give away to those who want to share it. I don鈥檛 drink coffee, but my wife聽says I鈥檓 naturally caffeinated 鈥� either that or naturally annoying.鈥�
But all that prodding and coaxing by Morgan culminates in the payoff Sunday when he will be at the finish line to greet his runners as they cross.
鈥淧eople come in believing they can鈥檛 do it. I show them they can. I鈥檝e been on the journey with them and I want to see them finish and share in the experience with them,鈥� Morgan said.
At the elite level, three former Victoria marathon winners are back to compete 鈥� Daniel Kipkoech and Lamech Mokono on the men鈥檚 side and previous two-time champion Catrin Jones on the women鈥檚.
The half-marathon begins at 7:30 a.m. and the marathon at 8:45 a.m., both at Menzies and Kingston, and the 8K at 7:15 a.m. on Belleville. All finish lines are on Belleville in front of the legislative building. The marathon course winds its way through James Bay, downtown, Dallas Road, Oak Bay and Uplands.
